DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicants election without traverse of the invention of Group I, Claims 1 through 13, in the reply filed on May 13, 2026 is acknowledged. As part of the applicants submission or reply, Claims 14 through 24 belonging to Groups II and III have been cancelled. New Claims 25 through 34 have been added as part of the submission and will be examined along with Claims 1 through 13.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: --Method for Automatic Crimping--.
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the content does not appear to be directed to the claimed invention, e.g. process, as recited in the steps of at least Claim 1. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Applicant is advised that should Claim 26 be found allowable, Claim 27 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 3, 10, 13, 25 through 30 and 32 through 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In Claim 2, it is unclear what the difference is between “a single wire” (line 2) and “a respective wire” (lines 5-6 of Claim 1).
In Claim 10, it is unclear what is meant by the phrase of “without the respective wire being held with any device” (line 3). The phrase is such a broad negative limitation, particularly with “any device”, that it would exclude the earlier phrase of “while holding an exterior of the multi-wire cable” (line 2). A great deal of confusion is raised as both phrases in the same claim would contradict each other.
In Claim 13, it is unclear if the latter phrase of “a crimp contact” (line 4) is referring to an earlier phrase of “a crimp contact” (lines 2-3). How many crimp contacts are there?
In Claim 25, , it is unclear if the latter phrase of “a respective wire” (line 2) is referring to an earlier phrase of “a respective wire” (lines 5-6 of Claim 1). How many respective wires are there?
In Claim 32, it is unclear if the latter phrase of “a chamber” (line 5) is referring to an earlier phrase of “a chamber” (line 2). How many chambers are there?
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1 through 4, 6 through 13, 25 through 27 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication 2014/0115855 to Angelov et al (hereinafter “Angelov”) in view of U.S. Patent 6,098,285 to Tsuji (hereinafter “Tsuji”).
Claim 1: Angelov discloses a method for automatically crimping a multi-wire cable (e.g. 106, Fig. 1, ¶ [0042]) comprising:
spreading [separating] a plurality of wires (e.g. 102) in the multi-wire cable;
subsequently performing one or more automatic operations (e.g. sensing, grasping, etc.) on at least one of the plurality of wires for crimping (e.g. ¶¶ [0005], [0006]); and
automatically inserting the respective wire into a position (e.g. at 182, Fig. 3) for crimping (e.g. ¶¶ [0041], [0044]).
Claim 2: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more automatic operations comprises automatically manipulating a single wire (e.g. 102) of the plurality of wires (e.g. gripping with 150, 152) in order for the respective wire to be further distanced from an adjacent wire (e.g. another 102, ¶ [0033]).
Claim 3: Angelov discloses the method of claim 2, wherein, after spreading the wires, the one or more automatic operations comprises both automatically manipulating the single wire (with grippers, 150, 152) and automatically simultaneously manipulating the plurality of wires (e.g. other wires by holding).
Claim 4: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more automatic operations comprises automatically simultaneously manipulating each of the plurality of wires (e.g. gripping with 150, 152).
Claim 6: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising determining, using a machine vision (e.g. 160), a sequence of crimping of the plurality of wires (e.g. ¶ [0042]); and
wherein, responsive to determining the sequence of crimping, performing the one or more automatic operations (e.g. gripping) and automatically inserting the plurality of wires into the position (at 182) for crimping in the sequence (e.g. Fig. 3).
Claim 7: Angelov discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the multi-wire cable includes wires of at least a first type (e.g. smaller diameter or stranded) having a first crimp contact and a second type (e.g. larger diameter or solid( having a second crimp contact; and
wherein the machine vision determines the sequence based on which of the plurality of wires are of the first type and which are of the second type (e.g. ¶¶ [0036], [0037]).
Claim 8: Angelov discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the sequence is determined by:
using the machine vision to analyzes analyze the spreading [separating] of the plurality of the wires; and
using a predetermined ordering and the analysis of the machine vision in order to determine the sequence (e.g. ¶ [0036]).
Claim 9: Angelov discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the spreading [separating] of the plurality of wires comprises at least two wires on each end (e.g. Fig. 3, left and right ends) and at least one wire therebetween; and
wherein the sequence comprises beginning with crimping the at least one wire therebetween (with grippers).
Claim 10: As best understood, Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the respective wire is automatically inserted into the position for crimping at least partly while holding an exterior (at 106) of the multi-wire cable (e.g. Fig. 3) and without the respective wire being held with any device (e.g. at bottom free end of 102, in Fig. 3).
Claim 11: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein after the respective wire is crimped and withdrawn from the position, automatically individually moving the respective wire so that the respective wire touches at least one other wire (under 106, in Fig. 3) that has already been crimped.
Claim 12: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein, after insertion of the respective wire into the position for crimping such that the respective wire is positioned over the position, automatically positioning the respective wire to be a predetermined distance over the position for crimping (e.g. at 182, Fig. 3).
Claim 13: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising, after automatically inserting the respective wire into the position, automatically crimping the respective wire at the position; and after automatically crimping the respective wire with at the position, automatically removing the respective wire from the position (e.g. ¶ [0042]).
Claim 25: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein performing one or more automatic operations on at least one of the plurality of wires in preparation for insertion of the respective wire into the position comprises performing machine vision (e.g. 160); and wherein automatically inserting, based on the machine vision, the respective wire into the applicator of the position for crimping (e.g. ¶ [0035]).
Claims 26 and 27: Angelov discloses the method of claim 25, wherein automatically inserting, based on the machine vision, the respective wire into the position for crimping comprises automatically inserting, based on the machine vision, in at least a Y- direction (e.g. vertical direction of Figs. 1 or 3).
Claim 31: Angelov discloses the method of claim 1, wherein performing one or more automatic operations on at least one of the plurality of wires in preparation for insertion of the respective wire into the position for crimping comprises:
performing machine vision (e.g. 160) in order to identify a direction of a tip of the respective wire (e.g. ¶ [0036]); and
performing a movement in order to align the position for crimping and the respective wire in preparation for insertion of the respective wire into the position for crimping (e.g. ¶¶ [0041], [0042]).
Angelov does not teach a crimping machine that includes an applicator and/or a crimp contact, at the position for crimping.
Tsuji discloses a method for automatically crimping a plurality of wires (e.g. 9, Fig. 2) with a crimping machine (e.g. 12b). One respective wire is automatically crimped at a position for crimping by an applicator (e.g. 13, 14) that includes a crimp contact (e.g. 4) as the respective wire is positioned over the crimp contact and then automatically crimped with the crimp contact (e.g. col. 3, lines 13-41). Note that the wires (e.g. 9, Fig. 2) are spaced apart (e.g. spread) from one another.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Angelov by adding a crimping machine that includes at least an applicator and crimp contact, as taught by Tsuji, to provide the equipment and crimp materials necessary to complete the crimping of the respective wire to the crimp contact [at the position for crimping] to establish an electrical connection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 28 through 30 and 32 through 34 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
a) Japanese Patent Publication, JP 2019-9091, discloses a process of crimping a respective wire (e.g. 8, Fig. 1) with a crimping machine (e.g. Fig. 2) with an applicator (e.g. 131, Fig. 14, see SOLUTION).
b) Non-Patent Literature IEEE Publication to Seefried et al, entitled "Evaluation of monitoring approaches for the ultrasonic crimping process of tubular cable lugs", discloses a process of crimping a respective wire (e.g. Fig. 1) with a crimping machine with an applicator (e.g. Sonotrode/Anvil see entire document).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to A. DEXTER TUGBANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4570. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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/A. DEXTER TUGBANG/ Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3729
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